Canelo Alvarez withdraws from May 5 rematch vs. Gennady Golovkin

Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez announced Tuesday that the hotly anticipated rematch for the middleweight title between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin has been canceled as a result of Alvarez’s two failed drug tests on Feb. 17 and Feb. 21.

Gomez said “it was extremely unlikely to get resolved” soon enough to allow the fight to go on as scheduled on May 5 so Alvarez opted to withdraw from the rematch. Alvarez has an April 18 date in front of the Nevada Athletic Commission.

Alvarez tested positive for the banned anabolic agent, Clenbuterol. He denied intentionally cheating, and blamed the failed tests on eating contaminated meat in his native Mexico. He was at his home in Guadalajara at the time of the tests.

“I have always been a clean fighter and I always will be a clean fighter,” Alvarez said Tuesday at a news conference in Los Angeles. “I want to prove without a doubt that I have never intentionally ingested Clenbuterol. I have nothing to hide and I want to be open and transparent through this process. …. I have never taken illegal substances and this is no different.”

Golovkin is expected to fight a replacement for Alvarez on pay-per-view on May 5, but nothing has been finalized as of yet.

The May 5 rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin has been canceled after Alvarez withdrew from the fight Tuesday because of his two failed PED tests. (Getty Images)